Introducing 30 Weeks

WHAT IS 30 WEEKS?

30 Weeks is a founders program that transforms designers into founders who are equipped with the entrepreneurial skills, knowledge and tech know-how to create products and start impactful companies. Our learn-by-launching structure gives designers a chance to build their products in an environment that’s as close to the real thing as possible.

We do this by integrating startup principles, practices and experience-based learning methodologies in a highly stimulating and collaborative learning environment.

What happens in 30 Weeks?

From day one, the focus is on what you want to build — be it a product or an entire startup. Either way, you own everything you come up with. And when it’s all done — having learned to ideate, validate and iterate — you’ll leave a changed designer, thinker and creator, fully prepared to bring your vision to the world.

30 Weeks starts with a carefully-crafted series of modules which cover product development, business models, legal structures, branding storytelling and marketing as well as ongoing interaction with some of the smartest minds in design, tech, business and venture capital in New York City. Those designers who have successfully completed the first 15 weeks will be given the opportunity to apply for the subsequent 15 weeks which includes co-working space and mentoring.

How does it work?

30 Weeks embraces the principles of technology startups — eliminating wasted effort and maximizing speed — to help transform designers into founders. This learn-by-launching structure gives designers a chance to build their entrepreneurial skills in an environment that’s as close to the real thing as possible. In short: you get startup mentorship, discussions with industry leaders, real tools, group critiques, hands-on-help, a space to work in and the time to focus on your own product. Designers will be exposed to 5 key areas of learning: design, product, tech, business, and collaboration.

It is structured around workshops, speaker series, pitches and group sessions – all focused on the product that you would like to launch.

Mentors that help along the way

Real-world development cycles

AN INCUBATOR THAT HELPS TRANSFORM DESIGNERS INTO FOUNDERS, ENTREPRENEURS AND THE KIND OF LEADERS THAT INVENT THE FUTURE.

Who’s involved?

The 30 Weeks program is operated by Hyper Island in partnership with SVA, Parsons, Pratt, The Cooper Union and some of the smartest minds in design, tech, business and venture capital.

Board

Staff

Residents

Key Partners

Collaborators

John Maeda

Design Partner at KPCB

John is acting design partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, as well as chair to EBAY Design Advisory Board. Prior, he was President of Rhode Island School of Design.

David Kelley

Founder at IDEO & Founder at the d.school

David is the founder and managing partner at IDEO. He is also a Stanford professor and founded Stanford University's d.school. He is a TED speaker covering topics such as design thinking and creative confidence.

Robert Wong

Executive Creative Director at Google Creative Lab

Robert is a designer and Executive Creative Director at the Google Creative Lab. Prior, he was VP Creative at Starbucks. In 2011, he was named one of the 50 Most Influential Designers in America.

Craig Nevill-Manning

Engineering Director at Google

Craig joined Google as a research scientist and engineer in its infancy back in 2001, founding the New York office. He is still a driving force behind innovation and special community projects in New York.

Andy Berndt

VP at Google Creative Lab

Andy is a Vice President at Google and founder of the Google Creative Lab. He has been involved with most of Google's major efforts, including Android, Chrome, Google Glass, Project Loon, and many others.

William Floyd

Senior Manager of Public Policy & Gov't Relations at Google

William leads Public Policy and Government Relations at Google New York. Previously, he was a senior advisor in government and public affairs at several leading New York law firms.

Alfred Spector

VP, Engineering at Google

Alfred is responsible for all education and research special initiatives across Google. Prior to that, he acted as VP, Services at IBM and was also founder and CEO of Transarc Corporation.

Per Vidar Lundberg

Director of Exec. Education at Hyper Island

Per Vidar is Director of Executive Education at Hyper Island. Prior to this, he acted as Director of Technology & Development at Sveriges Television (SVT), the Swedish public service television company.

Kathleen Creighton

Chair of the Communications Design Dept at Pratt Institute

Kathleen has chaired the Communications Design Department at Pratt Institute for the past 10 years, where she oversees and develops curricula for Advertising, Graphic Design and Illustration students.

RICHARD Wilde

Chair of BFA Advertising & Design Dept at SVA

Richard Wilde founded the Advertising and Graphic Design department for SVA, where he has been acting chair for the last 40 years. In 2013, he was named to the prestigious One Club Educator Hall of Fame.

Eric Lima

Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Cooper Union

Eric’s focus is on the intersection of "Making" and entrepreneurship. He is the co-creator of Invention Factory.

Eddie Shiomi

Director of Educational Innovation and Opportunity Office of the Provost,
The New School

Eddie is a Director at the New School. Prior he served as Vice President of Programs for Venture for America.

Erik Nordlander

Partner, Engineer at Google Ventures

Eric joined Google Ventures in 2010. Prior he led the team that built Google’s next generation display ad serving system and helped acquisition and technical integration for Doubleclick (DCLK)

Shana Dressler

Executive Director

Shana is the founder of the Social Innovators Collective, the co-creator of the Social Good Guides and an Aspen Institute Scholar. In 2015 she was honored by the World CSR Congress as one of the 50 Most Talented Social Innovators.

MICHOEL OGINCE

Founder in Residence

Michoel is Founding and General Partner at Windforce Ventures, a micro VC firm specializing in marketing and mobile technology.

Jason Bacher

Designer in Residence

Jason is a designer and co-founder at Good Fucking Design Advice, a studio focused on designing and delivering content, experiences, and products for the working creative.

Dean Haddock

Engineer in Residence

Dean is the Managing Director of Digital & Technical Innovation for StoryCorps and a civic technologist.

Ektaa Aggarwal

Creative Director, 30 Weeks Impact

Ektaa has 15 years of expertise in design, branding, and innovation, working at agencies such ideo.org, Landor Associates and SpikeDDB.
She is passionate about empowering under-privileged communities around the world through design-lead solutions. Whether it’s designing for slum communities in Mumbai or working with $16 billion dollar Mahindra Group to designing a reading movement for Syrian refugee’s in Za’atri, she is passionate people and problems.

Simon van Woerden

Director of Communications, 30 Weeks Impact

Simon works for the United Nations Development Programme on Communications - for Fundraising and for Crisis Recovery. He loves telling good stories in playful and surprising ways. He likes to make a mess and then organize it. He sings and plays music.

Marianne Aerni

Advisor and Former Co-Director

Marianne is a strategist, learning designer and facilitator. Marianne has been working with Hyper Island - building up the Sao Paulo, Brazil, hub and producing & co-leading executive development programs in Europe and the Americas.

Vania Arevalo

Advisor and Former Program Manager

Vania is a design and financial services consultant. She is studying Design Management at the Pratt Institute. Prior, she worked as a consultant for Deloitte & Touche.

Sveinung Skaalnes

Advisor and Former Program Director

Sveinung is Global Partnership Director at Hyper Island. He previously developed Hyper Island's Digital Data Strategist and eCommerce Business programs.

Kiely Sweatt

Advisor and Former Program Manager

Kiely is a facilitator, writer, teacher and co-founder of an international performing arts company.

Vivian Rosenthal

Advisor and Former Founder in Residence

Vivian is the founder & CEO of Snaps. Prior, she Co-founded Tronic Studio, was a two-time TEDx speaker and was named one of Creativity Magazine's Top 50 Global Creatives of 2010.

Alex Rainert

Advisor and Former Designer in Residence

Alex Rainert is a product design and strategy consultant. He has previously led Product at Foursquare and co-founded dodgeball. In 2012, Fast Company named him one of the 100 most creative people in business.

sarah gregersen

Program Advisor

Sarah is an experienced and awarded process consultant, trainer and facilitator. She has years of experience within the fields of leadership, culture and innovation.

MAthias Jakobsen

Program Design Advisor

Mathias is a serial entrepreneur from Denmark, currently working as a learning designer at Hyper Island. His handwritten newsletter helps people think clearly.

Matias Corea

Advisor and Former Resident

Matias is Co-founder
& Head of Design at Behance. Prior, he worked as a designer for ProAm Design and AR Media.

Steve Rura

Advisor and Former Resident

Steve is a Creative Director at Google Creative Lab. He works on both product design and communications for technologies across the company.

Molly O'shea

Advisor and Former Program Manager Associate

Molly is currently studying Design at New York University, is a freelance graphic designer, and is beginning her pursuit as an entrepreneur. She is passionate about innovation, sustainability, design and travel.

James Cooper

Head of Creative at betaworks

James is Head of Creative at betaworks and Co-founder of Thompson Punke.

Michoel Ogince

Founding Partner at Windforce Ventures

Michoel is Founding and General Partner at Windforce Ventures, a micro VC firm specializing in marketing and mobile technology.

Kevin Rogers

Executive Director of Technology at frog design

Kevin is Director of Technology at frog design, NY, where he leads the engineering team, working at the intersection of next generation design, UX, and product development.

Geoffrey Schwartz

Strategy Director at frog design

Geoffrey is Director of Strategy in frog’s New York office with over 8 years of experience in global innovation. He also co-founded and built an umbrella of e-commerce sites.

Amanda Parkes

Chief of Technology and Research, Manufacture New York

Amanda serves as CTO for Manufacture, NY. She is also a visiting scientist at MIT Media Lab and an adjunct professor at Columbia. Additional past work includes founding Bodega Algae and the Exploratorium in San Francisco, the Science Museum in London and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice.

Jen van der meer

Founder and CEO of Reason Street

Jen helps companies find the right business models for impact.
A former Wall Street analyst and economist, Jen is a business modeler and data doyen who masters the emerging edge of technological change. Throughout her career, Jen has practiced an approach that is equal parts data-driven and creative to understand and apply the opportunities for technology to transform the economy, society, and culture.

Matthew Waldman

Founder of NOOKA

Matthew is a NYC based designer, entrepreneur, educator who promotes the expression of global language via design. Best known for his innovative accessory brand, NOOKA. Matthew is a pioneer in passive intelligent visual systems. He is also an expert brand architect with experience developing branding systems for global businesses.

Dean Haddock

Managing Director at StoryCorps

Dean is the Managing Director of Digital & Technical Innovation for StoryCorps and a civic technologist.

Matthew Waldman

Julian Walker

Andrew Wanliss-Orlebar

Fredrik Wikholm

Co-founder and Creative Director
Uniforms for the Dedicated
The Rag Bag
Dedicated Institute

Paul Woolmington

Advisor, Advocate and Angel

David Yarus

Founder of mllnnl and Jswipe

Rus Yusupov

Co-Founder & Creative Director at Vine

Why a founders program for designers?

“Very few companies are actually founded and led by designers. Here to change that is 30 Weeks, a new program by a powerhouse team of New York design schools — in collaboration with the education company Hyper Island and Google.”

Fast Company, Named 30 Weeks one of the World's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies of 2015 in Design

“It's time for new models of education, where students learn from day one how to create value. That's what 30 Weeks is all about.”

Greg Pass, Chief Entrepreneurial Officer at Cornell Tech

“The hands-on lessons I acquired have made me redefine my career, my path in life, and what being a designer today means for me.”

Arielle Shekel, Designer at 30 Weeks, Founder of Ananas

“30 Weeks is all about people teaching people. It’s about real-world experience and real-world output — all with no guardrails. It’s 30 weeks of big ideas, fast sprints and intense focus.”

Johanna Frelin, CEO at Hyper Island

“We're in the beginning of a technology renaissance where art plays a more central role in the development of products and start-ups. I've seen firsthand at Google how visual designers and storytellers can help invent the future.”

Robert Wong, Google Creative Lab

“Start with design, and don't just end with it.”

John Maeda, Design Partner at KPCB

Who is the right fit?

Do you have a passion project you’re dying to turn into an impactful company? Are you always making, making, making? Are you a problem solver? Have you ever wanted to leave everything behind to strike out on a new path? Do you believe design can shape the future? If so, then you belong at 30 Weeks.

What you'll get?

A community of entrepreneurial design-driven thinkers

Workshops and mentorships by startup experts

Understanding the principles of lean startup methodology

Skills to create a prototype

Opportunities to pitch to investors

Who can apply?

We accept passionate, curious designers with at least one year of work experience who want to ignite their full potential by creating their own products. Candidates are carefully curated and have backgrounds in areas like graphic and web design, UX/UI design, industrial and product design, creative technology, architecture, and storytelling.